Things are heating up in TPOL land. Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the ill-fated decision to move to Mongolia. I’ll finally reveal how it all went down now that I’ve had a year to repress all my anger. But for today, let’s be happy and celebrate the best posts from July.
1. Man Vs. Food: The 2 POUND Burger Eating Contest
Simply the Best: July 2015
Korean Air Won’t Refund My $
This may be a case for the sleuth Elliott.org because all my time and energy has been wasted trying to get a refund from Korean Air.
Here’s the story: I boarded the plane and asked for macadamia nuts. Hold up, timb stop. I said this anotha memorial
For makaveli and big pop.
Last year as part of the Mongolia debacle I had to leave for a visa run to Seoul, Korea to stay at the Aloft Gangnam, op, op, op, op. I booked a one way ticket departing on November 14, 2014. I then called, cancelled, and booked a round trip departing on the same date. I never received a refund for the initial one way ticket despite cancelling, calling Korean Air over and over, and disputing the charge with Barclays.
Korean Air keeps saying they have no proof of me ever cancelling. Trying to be the voice of reason, I inquire as to why I would book two tickets departing on the same day from the same origin to the same destination. It simply makes no sense. I’m not a portly man so I don’t require an extra seat. Clearly, one was meant to be cancelled.
I tried calling Korean Air three days ago and got into a shouting match with the representative who finally passed me onto the manager who said within 48 hours it would be resolved. Mind you, the same promise was made in February regarding this matter. I followed up with an email today and am awaiting a response.
What choice do I have but to write this post and hope that the social media gods smile warmly upon me and grant me this reasonable request. It’s not like I’m asking anyone to kneel down before me and ask for forgiveness.
Canadiens Have It Bad
My cousin called me today in need of one of those ‘wanna get away’ trips. Unfortunately his departing country is Canada, a country that isn’t serviced by Southwest. Thinking me a magician, he asked if there was a cheap ticket from Toronto to Los Angeles departing on August 4th. I know next to nothing about the points business in Canada but know enough to say that it isn’t as generous as the US. As such, I didn’t even bother asking him if he had any points for a free flight.
Instead I headed over to the handy-dandy Matrix – ITA page and started putting together prospective itineraries. Here’s what I came up with: A flight leaving Kitchner to LAX connecting in Chicago on US Air then a flight from LAX to Toronto via Calgary.
Pho @Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
TPOL’s Best Places to Get Pho in the world already includes Hong Kong. That doesn’t mean TPOL’s above reviewing another pho spot in the same locale. Today’s review takes us up for pho at Victoria Peak, Hong Kong, an experience punctuated by a warm bowl on a cold night.
The ride to the top via the old trolley is worth the cost of admission. The views of one of the most electric cities in the world is second to none even with an overabundance of tourists haphazardly using selfie sticks to take iPhotos that indubitably will turn out poor.
His Golf Game Is Poop, Literally
TPOL continues to hone in his golf skills by reading and watching all things golf. This week I screened the following:
- The Legend of Bagger Vance
- 7 Days in Utopia: the worst movie of all time, golf or otherwise
- Tin Cup: Wow, Kevin Costner and I share a similar life mindset.
True Detective Is Awful: Read My Version Instead
Wow True Detective Season 2 is awful. Last year I put together my True Detective Series and the Case of the Missing iPhone: It begins here. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it more than that garbage on HBO.
Week 2: Athens Marathon Update
Two weeks of training is done for the Athens marathon and in order to keep myself honest and motivated, here’s my weekly diary of all things marathon. Here’s what happened this week:
- I bought new shoes.
- 8 miles in 1:21:43:75 which was slow, painful, and miserable.
We Need Another Recession
A fellow points enthusiast made the comment today that we need a new bank to step into the market and disrupt the points game with an irresistible offer. He remarked, “We need someone like a US Bank but with a better attitude.” I replied that we need another recession.
Hotel rooms are full, flights are sold out leaving the poor points traveler stranded. Everywhere we look there’s another devaluation. Delta is the best example of an airline indifferent to its passengers regardless of loyalty but others are also culpable. Remember when you could stay at Hiltons for next to nothing? Club Carlson? United? Southwest? Those days are over and there’s no relief in sight. There is the occasional 100k offer from Amex, the arbitrage opportunity of 2 AA Exec cards for 100k (now gone), or the new player in the game, ThankYou Points. But the noose is tightening everyday forcing opportunists to become much more creative with how to accrue and spend points.
The only thing we can hope for is that the banks who are once again too big to fail, fail. This would send the economy into a free fall, the Dow to all time lows, and ruin the credit of many Americans. In turn, banks would have to entice credit worthy applicants with huge offers, airlines would have to make awards available, and hotels would have to go back to the days of huge promos.
Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Let’s all hope for a collapse.
Note: This is a sarcastic post.
RedBird Trouble: Target’s New Computers
Had a little scare today as I went into Target with a few thousand worth of gift cards meant to be gifted to myself. I gave the bird to the cashier and she tried to swipe it on her computer, tried to swipe it on the credit card machine and nothing happened. She called the manager. He did the same. Nothing happened. He said the new computer system was installed two days ago allowing them to take chip enabled cards. They broke out the training manual and still they couldn’t get the bird to fly. Finally, the manager suggested we go to an old computer terminal that didn’t have the new software loaded. “Load $500” showed up and the crisis was resolved for today at least. I’m not sure if it’s a matter of training or what but this had nothing to do with how I was loading the bird. It wouldn’t have mattered if I had cash since they couldn’t get the bird to swipe in the first place. Still my fear is more glitches, more adjustments could catch up to me especially if I continue to buy gift cards online that take forever to ship. Going back tomorrow to finish up July’s MS. Night to all you bird lovers.
The 15th Club: Don’t Leave Home Without It
TPOL may be starring in He Got Game 2 as his skills go up and his scores go down. Part of the Golf Course Review section will also include equipment that every traveling golfer should not leave home without. Last week, I wrote about the Search of the Lost Golf Ball, a game within a game. As much fun as I have diving into the creek, I’m pretty sure this behavior is frowned up at some of the nicer courses I plan to play.
That is why I purchased the 15th Club: Callaway Ball Retriever for $35. (I didn’t come up with the name.) Now I can go fishing for balls without taking off my shirt. The retriever paid for itself in one round as I was able to catch a wide assortment of golf balls.
Here’s a pic of me fishing:
